Automatic switch.



No. 705,786. Patented 1 l 2 H.' A. PoPPENHusEN. uy 9 |902' AUTOMATICSWITCH.

. v (Application filed. Oct. 31, 1901.)

(llc Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

f AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,786, dated July 29,1902.

Application filed October 31,1901. Serial No. 80,594. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. PorPEN- HUSEN, of Evanston, in the countyof Oook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Switches; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved automatic switch for use inconnection with current-generating apparatus embracing a dynamo and asecondary or storage battery which is charged by the dynamo, said switchoperating to control the working circuit in such manner that the sameshall be broken or opened whenever through a decrease in the voltage ofthe dynamo the storage-battery voltage exceeds the dynamo voltage,thereby preventing the reversal of current in the working circuit andtendency of the battery-current to operate the dynamo as a motor, andthus avoiding liability of the burning out of the dynamo by such reversecurrent.

The accompanying drawing represents diagrammatically one practical formof my improved switch and its connections with a dynamo and storagebattery.

As indicated in said drawing, A and B indicate two magnet-cores whichare attached together, although magnetically separated, and are disposedsymmetrically with respect to each other, and O is a double or duplexarmature consisting of magneticallyseparated parts or halves c c. Thecores A and B are shaped to form poles d a bh, of which the poles a i)are formed on the ends of the cores, which are attached to each other,but are separated by a strip D of brass or nonmagnetic material which isinserted between the connected parts of the cores and poles a' l1',which are separated from each other by an air-space. The armature C isvibratory and is pivoted to swing on a pivot c?, located at a pointadjacent to the poles a h of the cores A and B,'with its free endextending between the separated poles a b'. Atits end adjacent to thepivot c2 the armature O is provided with two arms C Ci, which areseverally made integral with the two parte or halves c c' of thearmature and are magnetically separated by means of a non-magnetic stripE, which extends between and separates the parts c c 'of the armature.The several parts above mentioned are so disposed that when the armatureC is swung or oscillated on its pivot the part c will be brought againstthe pole b' of the core B, while at the same time the arm C2 will bebrought against the opposite pole b of said core. lVhen swung in theopposite direction, the part cof the armature approaches the pole a ofthe core A, while the arm C approaches the pole a of said core. Movementof the armature C toward the pole a of the core A is limited by means ofan adjustable stop F, the same as herein shown having the form of aset-screw. Said armature, moreover, carries at its side opposite saidstop F a U-shaped contact-piece G,the ends of which are adapted forcontact with two contact-plates H Il.

On the cores A and B are wound coils l and J, respectively, the coil Ibeing a portion oi' a permanently-closed shunt-circuit from thcterminals J/ J2 of astorage or secondary battery K, while the coil J isa portion of apermanently-closed shunt-circuit from terminals L L' of adynamo, (indicated by M.) On the cores A and B are also wound coils Nand O, which form parts of the main or working circuit ofthe system.Said working circuit consists of a conductor P, leading from theterminal L of the dynamo to the coil O, a conductor P', leading from thecoil O to one of the contact-plates H, a conductor P2, leading from thecontact-plate H to the coil N, a conductor P3, leading from said coil Nto the battery-terminal J, and a conductor PL, leading from thedynamo-terminal L' to the batteryterminal J2.

Q Q are conductors leading from the storage-battery terminals J and J2to electric lamps or other translating devices, (indicated by R.) Thesaid electric lamps or translating devices are operated from the dynamoM and also from the storage battery K when the dynamo fails to supplythe required current,

as will be well understood by those acquainted with the art The coils iand J are of fine wire, the coil J, as shown in the drawings, beingprovided with a greater number of windings than thc coil I. The coils Nand O are of large or coarse wire, corresponding in capacity to the mainor working line conductors. The coils J and 0 are wound in the samedirection, so that the action of one augments the action of the other.The coils I and N are oppositely wound, so that the magnetic fieldsgenerated thereby are of opposite polarity, and the ac tion of the coilN decreases the effect of the coil I. When the coil J, which isconnected with the shunt-circuit from the dynamo M, is provided with agreater number of windings than the coil I, which is connected with theshunt-circuit from the storage battery, the magnetic fiux through thecore B willbe greater than that through the core A, and the armature Cwill be held normally in contact with the poles Z9 b of said core B,thereby maintaining the contact-piece Gr in contact with the plates H H.By reason of the manner in which the main circuit-coils are wound whendynamo voltage exceeds the storagebattery voltage, as when the dynamo ischarging the storage battery, the coil O increases the effect ot' thecoil J, while the coil N decreases the effect of the coil I. It followsfrom under normal conditions the magnetic energy developed by the coilsJ and 0 will produce a strong positive pull on the armature, tending tokeep the switch closed, and this pull being in proportion to the load inthe working circuit makes the pressure on the contact-point inproportion to the load carried. If the dynamo voltage should decrease,the current in the working circuit, the voltage producing same beingalways equal to the difference between the dynamo and battery voltages,will also decrease, and when the difference between the dynamo andbattery voltages reaches Zero the current iiowing through the workingcircuit will also be zero, and if no provision were made for prenventing it as soon as the dynamo voltage should fail below the batteryvoltage the current in the working circuit would immedi ately becomereversed, thereby giving rise to undesirable conditions-as, forinstance, the storage battery would tend to run the dynamo as a motor,with liability of the burning out of the dynamo or other disastrouseffects. In the apparatus described, however, when the dynamo voltagefalls below the battery volm tage the magnetic flux in the core A willbecome greater than that in the core B, the result being that themagnetic flux on the bat;s tery side or core A of the switch device willbe greater than that on the opposite side or core I5, with the resultthat the armature C will be swung toward the stop F and the switch willbe opened, thereby interrupting the current in the main-line circuit andpreventing the reverse current flowing through the dynamo. Moreover, thereversal of the current in the main-line circuit reverses the effect ofthe coils O and N, and the coil O will oppose the action of the coil J,while the coil N will as sist the action of the coil I, so that thesaid.

coils I and N will exert a strong pull on the armature, tending to openthe switch.

W'hile I have shown the shunt-circuit coil J as having more windingsthan the shuntcircuit coil I, yet this is not essential to the operationof the switch, for the reason that if the said coils I and J be madewith the same number of windings and the adjustable stop F set so thatthe armature is normallynearcr the poles b and ZJ than it is to thepoles a and d then when the same magnetic energy is developed by theaction of the coils I and J the magnetic flux will be greatest throughthe dynamo side of the switch or the core B,on which the coils J and Oare located, by reason ofthe narrower airspace between the armature andthe poles b and b', and the same effect will be produced as though thecoils I and J were dif ferently wound, the armature in such casebeingheld in position to keep the working circuit closed so long as thedynamo is working normally, or, in other words, acting to charge thesecondary battery.

" In the operation of the apparatus described manifestly the conditionsgivingrise to the closing of the switch will depend on the batteryvoltage, and as this is designed to be somewhat less than the dynamovoltage and the switch is so constructed or arranged as to give normallya somewhat greater flux on the dynamo side of the switch-magnet coresthe switch-armature will be positively held under normal conditions inposition to maintain the main circuit closed, and while it` is so closedthe main-circuit coils in the dynamo side of the switch will aid theshunt-circuit coil to hold the switch in its closed position. Moreover,the magnetic iiux tending to open the switch will be in proportion tothe reverse or destructive current, so that if the dynamo voltage fallsbelow the battery Voltage the greater the excess of the battery voltagethe more strongly will the power exerted by the switch-magnet act todraw the movable contact-piece G away from the contact-plates II I-I,and thereby break the main circuit. Similarly while working under normalconditions the greater the current in the working circuit the morestrongly will the said contact-piece be held against the contact-plates,and if, as is preferred, the said contact-piece G be made elastic and oflaminated structure the greater will be the area of contact between theends of the fiexible plates or strips constituting the saidcontact-piece and the contact-plates, this effect being due to thespreading of the layers constituting the elastic U -shaped contact-piece under increased pressure, tending to move the armature towardthe plates H H.

An important advantage of the switch described is that it is withoutsprings or like mechanical means for controlling the action of themovable armature, it being obvious that the position of said armatureand the action of the said contact devices through which the main-linecircuit is opened and closed depends entirely upon the action of IOD IIO

the electromagnets and is positive and certain' in its character byreason of the fact that the action of the shunt-circuit magnets I and Jis reinforced both in the open and closed position of the switch by themain-circuit magnets N and O.

I claim as my invention-- l. The combination of a dynamo, a storagebattery, a circuit connecting the dynamo with the storage battery whichincludes a switch, and means for actuating the switch comprising twomagnetic circuits, a movable armature which is included in said magneticcircuits and is connected with and operates the switch, and coilslocated severally on the two magnetic circuits; one of said coilsforming part of a shunt-circuit from the dynamo and the other of saidcoils forming part of a shuntcircuit from the storage battery.

2. The combination of'a dynamo, a storage battery, acircuit connectingthe dynamo with the storage battery which includes a switch, and meansfor actuating the switch comprising two magnetic circuits, a movablearmature which is connected with and operates the switch, said armatureembracing two magnetically-separated partswhich severally form parts ofthe two magnetic circuits and coils on the two magnet-cores which formpart-s of shunt-circuits from the dynamo and storage battery.

3. The combination of a dynamo, a storage battery, a circuit connectingthe dynamo with the storage battery, which includes a switch, and meansfor actuating the switch comprising two magnetic circuits, a movablearmature which is included in said magnetic circuits, and is connectedwith and operates the switch, coils on the two magnetic circuits whichform parts of shunt-circuits from the dynamo and storage battery, andanother coil on one of said magnetic circuits which forms part of thecircuit connecting the dynamo with the storage battery and which is sowound that it augmente or decreases the effect of one or the other ofthe said shuntcircuit coils,

ft. The combination ofa dynamo, astorage battery, a circuit connectingthe dynamo with the storage battery, which includes a switch, and meansfor actuating the switch comprising two magnetic circuits, a movablearmature which is connected with and operates the switch and which isincluded in said magnetic circuits, coils on the twc magnetic circuitswhich form parts of shuntcircuits from the dynamo and storage battery,and two other coils on said magnetic circuits which form parts of thecircuit connecting the dynamo with the storage battery and which are sowound that one of them augmente the effect of one of the shunt-circuitcoils and the other decreases the effect of the other of the saidshunt-circuit coils.

5. A switch-actuating device comprising two magnetic circuits, avibratory armature which is included in said magnetic circuits,

tory armature consisting of two magneticallyseparated parts whichoperate severally in connection with the two magnet-cores, and coils onthe said magnet-cores adapted to give a greater magnetic iux in one ofsaid cores than in the other.

7. A switch-actuating device comprising two magnetic circuits, avibratory armature which is included in said magnetic circuits, twocoils located severally on said magnetic circuits one of which formspart of one electric circuit and the otherI part of another electriccircuit; said coils being adapted to give a greater magnetic flux in oneof said circuits than in the other, and another coil on one of saidmagnetic circuits which is so wound as to augment or decrease the actionof the one or the other of said first-named colls.

8. A switch-actuating device comprising two magnetic circuits, avibratory armature which is included in said magnetic circuits, twocoils located severally on said magnetic circuits one of said coilsforming part of one electric circuit and the other of said coils'l'orming part of another electric circuit and said coils being adaptedto give agreater magnetic flux in one of said magnetic circuits than inthe other, and two other coils on said circuits which form parts of asingle electric circuit and are so wound that one of them augments theaction of one of the first-named coils and the other decreases theaction of the other of said first-named coils.

9. A switch-actuating device embracing two magnet-cores, the poles ofwhich are adjacent to each other, a pivotally-supported, vibratoryarmature adapted to approach and recede from the poles of saidmagnet-cores, and two coils located severally on said cores, one of saidcoils forming part of one electric circuit and the other part of anotherelectric circuit and the said coils being adapted to give a greatermagnetic hun in one of said magnet-cores than the other.

10. A switch-actuating device embracing two magnet-coresmhich aremechanically connected but magnetically separated, and the poles ofwhich are adjacent to each other, a pivotally-supported, vibratoryarmature embracing two magnetically separated parts adapted, in thevibratory movement ot' the armature, to approach and recede from. thepoles et said magnet-cores, and coils on said cores adapted to give agreater magnetic iiux in one of said cores than in the other.

ll. A switch-actuating device embracing two magnetic circuits,apivotally-supported, vibratory armature which is included in said IOL)12: voegt/se magnetic circuits, an adjustable stop controlling themovement of the armature in one direction, and two coils locatedseverally on said circuits, one of said coils forming part of oneelectric circuit and the other coil forming part of another electriccircuit and said coils ybeing' adapted to give a greater magnetic fluxin one of said circuits than in the other.

l2. A switch-actuating device embracing two magnet-cores which aremechanically connected but magnetically separated, and the poles ofwhich are adjacent to each other, a pivotally-supported, vibratoryarmature embracing two magnetically -separated parts adapted, in thevibratory movement of the armature, to approach and recede from thepoles of said magnet-cores, an adjustable stop controlling the movementof the armaturein one direction, and coils on said cores adapted to givea greater magnetic flux in one of said cores than in the other.

13. The combination of a dynamo, a storage battery, a working circuitconnecting the dynamo with the storage battery, which includes a switch,a pivotally-supported, vibratory armature which is included in saidmagnetic circuits and is connected with and gives movement to themovable part of said switch, an adjustable stop controlling the movementof the armature, coils on 'the two magnetic circuits which form parts ofshunt-circuits from the dynamo and storage battery, the coil in thedynamo shunt-circuit being adapted to give a greater magnetic ilux thanthe coil in the storage-battery shunt-circuit, and other coils on saidmagnetic circuits forming parts of the said workin g circuit, one ofsaid Working-circuit coils being so arranged as to augment the action ofone of the shunt-circuit coils, and the other of said working-circuitcoils being arranged to decrease the action of the other of saidshunt-circuit coils.

141. The combination ofa dynamo, a storage battery, a working circuitconnecting the dynamo with the storage battery which includes aswitclnvtwo mechanically-connected but magneticallyseparated magnetcores, the poles of which are adjacent to each other, apivotallysupported, vibratory armature which is connected with and givesmovement to the movable part of said switch, said armature embracing twomagnetically-separated parts adapted, in the vibratory movement of thearmature,to approach and recede from the poles et said magnet-cores, anadjustable stop controlling the movement ofthe armature in a directionto open the switch, coils on the two magnet --cores which form parte ofshunt-circuits from the dynamo and storage battery,the coil in thedynamo shuntcircuit being adapted to give a greater magnetic ilux in itsmagnet-core than the coil in the storagebattery shunt-circuit, and othercoils on said n1agnet-cores,forming parts of the said working circuit,one of said working-circuit coils being so arranged as to augment theaction of one of the shunt-circuit coils, and the other of saidworking-circuit coils being arranged to decrease the action ol' theother of said shunt-circuit coils.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my invention l ailix mysignature,in presence of two Witnesses, this 28th day of October, A. D.1901.

HERMAN A. PPPENHUSEN.

Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE PooLn, WILLIAM L. HALL.

